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Understanding Billable Hours

Students often confuse the terms “hours worked” with “billable hours.” In a law firm environment, it is important to understand the difference. The hours worked are the total number of hours that you worked for the firm, whether in administrative, billable, or pro bono capacities. Your billable hours are the portion of your total hours worked that were actually billable to a client. If you are negotiating with a firm and have questions about the typical hours worked for associates, be certain you understand which figure you are receiving.